The present invention relates generally to digital cameras, and more specifically, to a high resolution, high speed digital camera for cinema and multimedia applications.
A digital camera is desirable for cinematography instead of film due to its compatibility with the growing trends in the use of digital techniques in the production of movies and other multimedia products. In addition, a digital camera provides artistic flexibility and economic benefits over the use of film cameras.
Existing digital cameras do not meet the speed and resolution requirements of the movie industry. There are high speed digital cameras with low to moderate resolution capability and there are high resolution digital cameras with low to moderate speed capabilities. However, there are none capable of both high resolution and high speed performance. Digital camera complexity is proportional to the number of pixels per frame, the number of bits per pixel, and the number of frames per second provided by the camera.
Dicomed produces single shot high resolution digital cameras. These products include the BigShot.TM. digital instant cameras, ScanBack.TM. digital scanning cameras and StudioPro.TM. digital scanning camera backs. Kodak produces high speed low resolution cameras including the Megaplus.TM. cameras that have 15, 30 and 60 frames per second frame rates with 1024 by 1024 pixel resolution.
None of these cameras meet the requirements for the movie industry. Cinematography experts in the movie industry have defined the requirements for a digital camera to have 4096 by 4096 pixel resolution, at least 10 bits digitization for each of the three primary colors, and a speed of 60 frames per second.
A conventionally designed digital camera with these characteristics would produce an output data rate in excess of 30 Gigabits per second. This data rate is at the edge of technical feasibility from a speed perspective. In addition, an expensive storage system with more than 20 Terrabytes of capacity would be required to store a typical 90 minute movie. This places a conventionally designed digital camera system at the limits of affordability and technical feasibility. However, there are economic and artistic benefits that could accrue from a system that can capture the live action in a scene in a digital format with high detail and color and in nearly real time.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for a high resolution high speed digital camera for use in movie and multimedia applications that is technically realizable and is affordable. This objective will be achieved through a non conventionally designed camera that reduces the data rate and reduces the required storage capacity.